Aviva Premiership: Saracens 28-13 Sale

Saracens (13) 28
Tries: Brits, Carstens, Strettle Cons: Wigglesworth 2 Pens: Wigglesworth 3
Sale (13) 13
Tries: Seymour Cons: Macleod Pens: Macleod 2

Deon Carstens (centre) scored Saracens' second try against Sale

Saracens registered their first win of the Premiership season with an impressive performance against Sale.

Schalk Brits's try gave them the lead but the visitors hit back immediately when Tom Brady collected the re-start and fed Dave Seymour to cross.

Nick Macleod briefly gave Sale the lead with a penalty from inside his own half but Richard Wigglesworth levelled.

Deon Carstens and Dave Strettle both scored tries after the break as Saracens made their dominance count.

Sale may have suspected the omens were not good early on when Macleod missed the opportunity to open the scoring with a penalty.

Saracens were dominating territory and possession and Brits crossed after a drive set up by Mouritz Botha.

But a lapse of concentration gifted Sale an immediate response as Macleod's re-start kick was caught by Brady, whose run paved the way for Seymour to score.

Macleod and Wigglesworth then exchanged penalties to leave the teams level at half-time.

Another Wigglesworth kick edged Saracens ahead after the break and from that point on the home side tightened their grip on the game.

They extended their lead when a burst by England wing Strettle, on as half-time replacement for his home debut, set in motion a move involving six players which eventually saw Carstens barge his way over.

By now Sale were struggling to contain the home side but a sudden wave of replacements disrupted Saracens' momentum.

They eventually made sure of victory when the impressive Strettle took a pass from fly-half Alex Goode and touched down in the left-hand corner.

Saracens director of rugby Brendan Venter:
"At Twickenham last week, we found out the hard way that you have to produce your very best every week to be successful.

"Had we managed to win that despite playing poorly, we'd have thought we are better than we are.

"So I'm very pleased that all the boys gave everything in the heat and came away with a solid victory."

Sale boss Mick Brewer:
"We came down to play and to attack Sarries, but we did not get enough ball.

"Our discipline was poor. It's a key thing and it was not good enough. We conceded 20 penalties and you won't beat anyone with that on your back.

"Last week, compared with Sale's discipline last season, we were a lot better."

Saracens: Wyles; Cato, Powell, Barritt, Tagicakibau; Goode, Wigglesworth; Carstens, Brits, Nieto, Vyvyan, Botha, K Brown, Burger, Joubert.

Replacements: Strettle for Cato (41), Hougaard for Barritt (62), de Kock for Wigglesworth (52), Parr for Carstens (56), Reynecke for Brits (60), Du Plessis for Nieto (52), Borthwick for Botha (41), Melck for K. Brown (65).

Sale: Williams; Brady, Tonetti, Cueto, Cohen; MacLeod, Peel; Sheridan, Briggs, Wihongi, Rouse, Gaskell, Fearns, Seymour, Koyamaibole.

Replacements: E. Roberts for Sheridan (60), Croall for Briggs (60), Forster for Wihongi (60), Lewaravu for Gaskell (34), Cox for Fearns (62).

Sin Bin: Fearns (10).

Att: 6,087

Ref: Wayne Barnes (RFU).